This week, I'm on vacation with the family and a group of good friends at Lake Chelan. We've been looking forward to this vacation all summer but it also means I won't have my usual gym routine. I packed a few goodies to prep for the trip including a TRX, gliding discs and a bender ball.
This morning was all about the gliding discs! I love gliding discs (or towels if you don't have a set of discs) because it can take any exercise and turn it into a solid core exercise. It forces you to engage your core and work on your form.
Here are the exercises I did this morning. I did 8 rounds of each with a Tabata Timer (I use the Simply Tabata timer which you can download for free through the App store).
Exercise 1: Sit Ups
Place the gliding discs under your feet and do a traditional sit up. The difference with this is your heels should dig into the ground as you come up. Tricia often uses the cue 'think of your feet dragging through the mud'. That's exactly how it should feel.
Exercise 2: Knee Tuck and Pikes with a Push Up
Place the discs under your toes and rotate between a knee tuck and pike with a push up in between. I Love these because it works your abs, your quads and your upper body. I was slowing down by Round 4 and exhausted by Round 6. LOVE THEM!!
Exercise 3: Side Crunch Mermaids
These are a new move for me and a bit of a challenge. I incorporated this move from my recent visit to Studio 45. We normally do these off the back of the reformer and they are HARD for me. I tried these by lying on my right side, bending my knees at a 45 degree angle and placing one disc under my right hand. Push out as far as you can and then pull yourself back up. They are great for your obliques and your arms.
Exercise 4: Sit Ups with a Tricep Pull
Lie down on your back. Place the gliding discs under your hands. Come up to a sitting position by pulling your hands up until they are behind your back. These will work your triceps and abs!
Exercise 5: Elevator Planks with an Army Crawl
I also stole this move from my recent workout at Studio 45. I LOVE THESE!! Start in a full arm plank position and place the gliders under your feet. Move down to a forearm plank without moving your palms. Then crawl forward with your arms while dragging your feet. Then come back up to a full arm plank and repeat the exercise while moving backward and forward. SO good!! This is definitely a full body workout!!
Workout Scale:
Cardio: 1/5
Core: 4/5
Legs: 3/5
Arms: 4/5